M5s Senator Barbara Floridia: "The No warning to Meloni, it is up to us progressives to keep the momentum alive"

Senator, president of the Rai supervisory committee, former undersecretary for Education in the Draghi government and, in 2022, candidate of the 5 Star Movement in the primaries in Sicily for the selection of the name to run for the presidency of the Region: Barbara Floridia barely contains her enthusiasm for the victory of the No.

Senator, let's comment on the result, I would say.

"I am very satisfied, especially with the great participation. Italians have clearly rejected the only reform proposed in these four years of center-right government. It is clear that people are starting to get tired."

President Giuseppe Conte was among the first to comment on the referendum result and immediately threw the ball into the court of the primaries.

"In the meantime, I would focus on this post-referendum. I would say we can, just for a moment, rejoice. And reiterate the things that this government has not done. Then: the alternative exists and I think that the method of the primaries, which seems to be embraced by all the forces of the progressive front, can be valid for deciding the candidacy. But this, in my opinion, will come after the work on the program."

Many commentators have warned that this vote against the constitutional reform does not necessarily mean a vote for the progressive front in the political elections. How do we capitalize on this experience?

"Let's start from a fact: every vote is political and must be politicized. Certainly, the vote has delivered a rejection of the Meloni government; another thing is the path of the progressive alliance. It is up to us to keep the flame of participation alive. While it is also true that the equation between 'No' and the progressive front is not a precise one, we can certainly say that these are votes against Meloni."

Did you expect this result in Sicily, the 60.98% of No?

"In reality, I was a bit worried because Sicily is governed by the right. We have worked a lot in the territories, with committees and political forces, but I did not expect such a clear result. I found a Sicily that I love, a Sicily that participates."

In your area, which is that of the province of Messina, the highest turnout in the Island was recorded, but also the highest number of municipalities where Yes won. How do you interpret this?

"In my municipality, No won; in Messina, No won... We have a presence of many influential Messina parliamentarians in the center-right, I think of Galluzzo, Calderone, Matilde Siracusano, who is undersecretary and is from Messina. And then there is the issue of the electorate of Cateno De Luca, whose orientation can perhaps be defined as variable, or at least transversal. There has certainly been significant mobilization in the province of Messina."

Deputy Manlio Messina has called for the resignation of President Renato Schifani, given the outcome of the referendum; did you know?

"I am pleased that Manlio Messina is moving towards the positions of the 5 Star Movement (laughs, ed.). There are many reasons for Schifani's resignation: first of all, half of the council is under investigation, and there is a very serious situation of responses that are not being given to the territory. Many times the majority has fallen short in the vote at the Ars. Let's say that the referendum is not the main reason I would call for Schifani's resignation."

And what now?

"Now we work on the programs; they must be written with the citizens. We need to reach, with the progressive field, to gather the enthusiasm of participation and achieve a synthesis. This is the first step. At the national and regional level."